Fountain roller drive



Dec. 27, 1955 c. A. HARLESS ET AL FOUNTAIN ROLLER DRIVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1954 INVENTOR$' CH8 mes H.

ATIURNI 8 Dec. 27, 1955 c. A. HARLESS ET AL FOUNTAIN ROLLER. DRIVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1954 INVENTORS Le": 14. Hie/242:: MQRY 14/ llbera/lvarmv 204/! /laeear T Zumck Dec. 27, 1955 c. A. HARLESS ETAL 2,728,292

FOUNTAIN ROLLER DRIVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 29, 1954 IN V EN TORS Can/2L5: IQ. Hen/.50 fmaey W MRTHI/VGTQN Amaze/saw United States Patent FOUNTAIN ROLLER DRIVE Application March 29, 1954, Serial No. 419,364

9 Claims. (Cl. 101-363) This invention relates to ink motion drives for printing machines and more particularly to oscillating rotary drives, such as are used with ratchet driven ink fountain rollers.

It is an object of the invention to provide acompletely enclosed drive of the type indicated.

A further object is to provide a drive of the type indicated which may be adjusted while the machine is running and which provides close adjustment of the arc of movement of the rotary oscillating shaft, while eliminating slidable parts.

With these objects, and still other objects which will appear, in mind, a drive mechanism embodying the invention in a preferred form will now be described with relation to the accompanying drawings and. the features forming the invention will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams ofa mechanical movement used in the drive of the invention; .I

Fig. 3 is an elevation view of the drive mechanism, looking in the direction of line 33 of Fig. 5, and with the housing cover broken away; a 4

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a part of the mechanism of Fig. 3, with the cover and associated parts in place;

Fig. 7 is an elevation showing a device similar to that. of previous figures but adapted for placement in reversed position with relation to the ink drum of the ink motion.

In Fig. 1, there is shown, in schematic form, a mechanical movement or linkage used to obtain an oscillating rotary movement. Shaft 1, continuously driven off the printing machine drive, carries crank 2 pivotally connected at 4 to a pitman or link 3, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 5 to one end of an idle crank or rocker arm 6, whose other end is pivotally mounted at 8 on an angularly adjustable sector plate 9. A link or pitman 7, also pivotally connected to arm 6 at point 5, is pivotally connected at its other end 10 to driven crank 11 fixed to a shaft 12 which drives the fountain roller through a suitable ratchet or one way clutch. A ratchet drive such as shown in Harless application, Serial No. 323,845, filed December 3, 1952, for ratchet, may be used.

Sector plate 9 is swingably carried on a shaft 13 and is angularly adjusted by a worm 15 engaging worm wheel teeth 14 formed on the plate 9. The position of plate 9 is indicated by a pointer 16 (Fig. 6) reading on a scale 17 and it may be locked in adjusted position by a cam block or wedging device 18.

The plate 9 is shown in Fig. 1 as adjusted for maximum movement of the shaft 12, the positions of the parts in the two extreme positions being indicated by full and phantom lines, respectively. A full rotation of shaft 1 will rock arm 6 about the pivot 8 through about a 60 angle, as indicated. In Fig. 2, the plate 9 is shown as adjusted 2,728,292 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 for minimum movement of the shaft 12. In this case, the driven crank 11 remains stationary,pivots 8 and 10 are coaxial, and arms 6 and 7 merely swing back and forth about these coaxial pivots in unison as the shaft 1 rotates. By setting sector 9 in a position intermediate between the positions of Figs. 1 and 2, any desired intermediate angle of oscillation of shaft 12 may be obtained.

At the extreme position of crank arm 11, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the pivots 5 and 4 and the axis of shaft 1 will necessarily be aligned, so that in going from this position to the extreme position shown in phantom lines, both links 3 and 7 will be in tension rather than compression. By selecting the working stroke of the driven ratchet in this direction, the weight of the parts may be very much reduced as rocker arm 6 is the only link oper ating in compression.

Arms 6 and 7 being of the same length, it will be apparent from the foregoing description that full adjustment down to zero stroke will be insured if an adjustment sufiicinet to bring pivot 8 to a position where its distance from the axis of shaft 12 is the same as that of the pivot 10. A difference in length between crank arms 2 and 11 is not required to convert from continuous to oscillating rotary movement and both these members may therefore be made relatively short and correspondingly strong, as the arc of oscillation is determined essentially by the ratio between the lengths of arms 2 and 6 and the positioning of the fixed centers of shafts 1, 12 and 13.

In Figs. 3 to 6, the above-describedlinkage is shown in the form it assumes in the actual machine, the elements being designated by the same reference numerals as already used. The parts are contained in a combined housing and frame structure formed as a casting 20, fastened to the ink motion frame 21 (Fig. 5) by bolts 22. This casting is open at one side, where it faces the frame 21 and at the other where it is closed off by a cover plate 23 fastened to it, as by means of screws. The casting 20 is formed with a central partition wall or web 25, suitably thickened to form solid supports for the parts, and with a further partial web or partition 26 (Fig. 4) also suitably thickened for the same purpose. The casting 20 thus constitutes a compartmented unitary frame structure. The linkage mechanism is positioned outwardly of web 25 and the machine gearing is accommodated in the space between this partition and the machine frame.

The structure of the linkage will be clear in general from the description of Figs. 1 and 2 above. The details of the structure will now be further explained. Driving shaft 1, previously referred to is shown as supported in a bearing 30 in the machine frame 21 (Fig. 5) and extending through partition 25 where additional bearing support is provided, Crank 2 has a split hub and is fixed to the shaft 1 by clamping means of tightening screw 31 (Fig. 3). Driven shaft 12 passes through the machine frame 21 and web 25, being journaled in this web (and also supported inwardly of the frame 21 at the ratchet drive, not shown). Crank arm 11 is fixed to this shaft by means of a split hub and screws 32. Shaft 13 (Fig. 4), the remaining fixed center of the linkage is journaled in partition web 26 and its outer end is also supported by the cover 23. The worm 15, cooperating with worm wheel sector 14 on the plate 9, is rotatably carried by casting 20 as shown in Fig. 3 and has a handle 33, exterior to the housing, by turning which the plate 9 may be adjusted. Link 3 is formed with a fork 34 receiving the end 33 of link 7, and is in turn received within a fork 36 at the end of rocker arm 6. This last element is relatively wide (Fig. 3) and thick (Fig. 5) as it operates in compression.

The end of shaft 13 (Fig. 4) extends through cover 23 and carries pointer 16 cooperating with scale 17 outside the cover. Locking member 18 (Figs. 1 and 5) the hub to thisshaft by is carried. inside. thecovei: on a bolt 40. havinga threadedv against movement, while; turnin nut 41 in the reverse:

direction releases the" plate? for adjustment by worm 1'5.

As is' apparent, casing: 20 is divided intoan outer space accommodat-ing the linkage described above, and an inner space adjacentthe machine frame 21, which accommodates further gearing. This gearing includes an idle gear 50- (Fi'gs. 3 and 5), carried by means of antifri'ction bearings 51 on a shaft- 52; one end of which is supported in abore 53 in the frame 21 and held in positiolr axially by an enlarged portion 54", and the other end ofwhi'ch is supported in the partition 25. smallefi gear 55 fixed to the gear 5%) for rotation therewith. This gear 55 drives an idle gear wheel 56 and smaller gear 57"- fixed thereto, gears- 56', 57 being supported from frame 21 and partition 25 in the same way as the gears 50, 55. Gear 57 meshes with and drives gear 58 L fixed to the shaft f, and thus drives the linkage above referred to. The idle gear 50' is driven from the machine as by means of gearing 6t], 61.

It will be observed that all elements within the inner space of the housing 29' may be placed in position and the housing may then be slid' over the protruding shaft ends;- following which the elements of the linkage may then be put in place, providing a very convenient and simple assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. An oscillating rotary drive for ink motion fountain roller ratchet drives comprising a frame and housing structure adapted" for attachment to a printing machine frame, the said frame and housing structure having a partition wall dividing it into an inner space for accommed ating ink motion gearing and an outer space fbr accommodating an oscillating drive for the fountain roller ratchet, a continuously driven drive shaft and oscillating driven shaft, openings through the said partition wall accommodating said shafts, an adjustable linkage in the outer space and carried by the partitionwall, and means operable externally of the housing for adjusting the linkage to vary the arc of oscillation of the driven shaft.

2'. Air oscillating. rotary drive for ink motion fountain roller ratchet d'rives comprising a frame and housing structure adapted for attachment to a printing machine frame, the said frame and housing structure having a partition wall dividing it into an inner space for accommodating ink motion gearing and an outer space for accommodating" an oscillating drive for the fountain roller ratchet, a continuously driven shaft and oscillating drivcn shaft, openings through the said partition wall accommod'ating said shafts, an adjustable linkage in the outer space comprising; crank arms removably secured to the said shafts; astrokeadjusting member pivotally carried bythe housing and links connecting the said crank arms and stroke adjusting member, and means operable externally of the housing for adjusting the stroke adjusting member tova'r ythe arcof oscillation of the driven shaft. 3. oscillating rotary drive according to claim 2,

comprising also. a. further: and. partial partition in the.

outer space of the said housing and carrying the said adjustable member.

4. An oscillating rotary drive for ink motion fountain roller ratchet drives comprising a frame and housing structure adapted for attachment t'rr a printing machine frame, the said frame. and. housing structure having a partition wall dividing it into an inner space for accommodating ink motionigearingand'an outer-space for accommodating an oscillating drive for the fountain. roller ratchet, a continuously driven driving shaft and oscillating driven shaft, openings through the said partition wall accommodating, said shafts,- an adjust-able linkage in the outer space comprising crank arms removably secured to the said shafts, a stroke adjusting worm wheel sector pivotally carried by the housing and links connecting the said crank arms and stroke adjusting member, and a worm rotatably carried byand operable externally of the housingrfor pivoting the stroke adjusting wornr wheel sector tovary the are of oscillation ofthe driven shaft;

5. An oscillating rotary drive according to claim 4, comprising also a further and partial. partition in. the outer space of the said housing and. carrying the said wormand" worm wheel sector.

6.- An oscillzit ing' rotary drive according to claim 5, comprising also a: removable cover platefor the housing and having anaperture aligned with the worm. wheel sector pivotal axis and an indicator shaft rotatable with the worm" wheel sector and extending through the said aperture.

7'. An oscillating. rotary drive for ink motion fountain roller ratchet drives comprising a frame and housing structure adapted for attachment to a printing machine frame, the said frame and housing structure having a: partition wall dividing it into an inner space accommodating ink; motion gearingand an outer space accommodating an oscillating drive for the fountain roller ratchet, a continuously driven driving shaft and oscillating driven shaft, and an adjustable linkage in the outer space and carried by the partition wall; and means operable externallyofthe housing for-adjusting the linkage to vary the arc of oscillation ofthe drivcnshaft, and a further housing removably connected tothe first said housing structure at one side and accommodating the gearing for driving the said ink motion gearing and ratchet drive in a predetermined direction. 7

8 oscillating rotary driveaccording to claim 7, in which the said idle gearing is arranged for driving the said drive shaft in the same direction as a gear in mesh with and driving the idle gearing;

9t At'roscillating rotary drive according to claim 7, in which the said idle gearingis arranged for driving the said driving shaft in the opposite direction to a gear drivi'ii'g' theidle gearing.

References filter! in the. file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS I 1,225,300 (30sec.- May 15, 19.1.7- 2,403,233.. retell July 2, 1945 2,509,842 Rossman- May 30,, 1950 

